South Dakota State needed a win over Western Illinois to stay alive in the Summit League baseball tourney Thursday after opening the day with a loss to host Oral Roberts in Tulsa.
Jackrabbit relief pitchers combined to allow only one run over the final 7 1/3 innings, while the offense heated up late in the game as the Jackrabbits rallied for a 9-5 victory over Western Illinois.
Summit League Player of the Year Spencer Henson hit a pair of solo home runs, including the go-ahead blast in the top of the fifth inning, and came on in relief to record the final out of game in leading Oral Roberts to a 5-2 victory over South Dakota State in the first game.
SDSU, 28-21 overall, moves on to face either Oral Roberts or Omaha in another elimination game at 2:30 p.m. Friday. The winner of the ORU-Omaha game, which begins at 11 a.m. Friday, will move on to Saturday’s championship.
